Cost of Living Comparison Between Diego Martin and Arima Cost of Living Comparison Between Diego Martin and Arima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,410 per month in Diego Martin vs $1,163 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,369 per month in Diego Martin vs $1,925 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Diego Martin vs $2,687 in Arima, rent included.

Diego Martin costs about 21% more than Arima, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Diego Martin sits 6% above the global median, while Arima is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.22 TTD 35.16

$9.03 TTD 60.8

-42.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.3 TTD 507

$72.7 TTD 490

3.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 TTD 44.70

$7.50 TTD 50.6

-11.60%

Cappuccino

$3.79 TTD 25.51

$2.39 TTD 16.12

58.58%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 TTD 7.40

$0.94 TTD 6.36

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 TTD 3.84

$0.75 TTD 5.07

-24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 TTD 12.74

$1.59 TTD 10.70

18.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 TTD 20.98

$3.04 TTD 20.51

2.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 TTD 17.71

$2.27 TTD 15.31

15.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 TTD 14.10

$2.37 TTD 15.96

-11.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 TTD 17.59

$2.27 TTD 15.29

14.98%

Eggs

$4.43 TTD 29.85

$4.30 TTD 28.98

3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 TTD 53.6

$6.25 TTD 42.12

27.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.44 TTD 70.3

$5.83 TTD 39.27

79.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.28 TTD 96.2

$4.33 TTD 29.17

229.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 TTD 38.94

$5.66 TTD 38.18

2.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 TTD 17.56

$2.07 TTD 13.94

26.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 TTD 29.49

$4.37 TTD 29.45

0.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 TTD 31.05

$4.37 TTD 29.48

5.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 TTD 9.69

$1.00 TTD 6.73

44.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 TTD 11.72

$0.84 TTD 5.65

107.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 TTD 12.60

$1.46 TTD 9.83

28.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 TTD 9.39

$1.14 TTD 7.72

21.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 TTD 40.13

$4.29 TTD 28.92

38.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.35 TTD 130

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 TTD 14.75

$1.89 TTD 12.75

15.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 TTD 18.31

$2.81 TTD 18.95

-3.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 TTD 6.16

$0.79 TTD 5.31

15.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 TTD 497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.79

$0.92 TTD 6.19

9.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 TTD 6.09

$0.72 TTD 4.89

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.62 TTD 98.5

$14.64 TTD 98.7

-0.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 TTD 7.21

$0.94 TTD 6.33

13.83%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$14.8K TTD 99.6K

$27.3K TTD 183.7K

-45.79%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$38.4K TTD 258.6K

$27.7K TTD 186.4K

38.73%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$81.4 TTD 549

$81.5 TTD 549

-0.09%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$45.73 TTD 308

$43.65 TTD 294

4.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 TTD 414

$62.7 TTD 422

-2.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.90 TTD 303

$47.80 TTD 322

-6.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 TTD 50.2

$5.19 TTD 34.98

43.55%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$326 TTD 2,195

$131 TTD 881

149.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,197 TTD 48.5K

$7,074 TTD 47.7K

1.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 TTD 405

$51.2 TTD 345

17.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.02 TTD 256

$27.01 TTD 182

40.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 970

$127 TTD 859

13.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 TTD 856

$75.0 TTD 505

69.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$653 TTD 4,398

$485 TTD 3,267

34.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 TTD 3,018

$355 TTD 2,389

26.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,433 TTD 9,658

$843 TTD 5,680

70.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 TTD 6,477

$707 TTD 4,763

36.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,777 TTD 12.0K

$1,206 TTD 8,127

47.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

79.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Diego Martin: July 14, 2026

Last update for Arima: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $653 in Diego Martin versus $485 in Arima. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 47% higher in Diego Martin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Diego Martin versus $73.0 in Arima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $292 – making Arima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Diego Martin vs Arima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diego Martin costs about 21% more than Arima, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,115 per month in Diego Martin and $1,745 in Arima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,410 in Diego Martin and $1,163 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $326 per month in Diego Martin and $131 in Arima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arima, where all-in costs run around $1,163, than in Diego Martin at $1,410. In Arima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Diego Martin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arima – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Diego Martin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.